Accepting The Cycles of a Spiritual Life...

Every  ancient system of  wisdom teaches  that human life unfolds in a succession of stages:

childhood, a period of education  and learning a period of family life  and meaningful work, and  a period of contemplative practice.
Just as there is beauty  to be found in the changing of the earth's seasons and an inner grace in honoring  the cycle of life, our spiritual practice will be in balance when we can sense the
time  that is appropriate for retreats and the time  that is appropriate for travel, the time for settling down  and planting roots and the time  to have family and children.
 honoring  these cycles, we honor the natural law of the universe in the Tao or the dharma of our own lives. Change comes to our lives not only from shifts in our inner needs, but also
from the shifts in our external circumstances. First we must respect the changing cycles that life brings us and accept the inner tasks they bring. Each of  life's stages has a spiritual dimension. Each contributes wisdom and experince that we will draw upon  in our spiritual growth.
More often  we don't get to choose. The great cycles of our life wash over us, presenting us with challenges and difficult rites of passage  much bigger than our ideas  of were we are going .But when we  bring to them attention and respect , each of those task  has a spirtual lesson in them. It may be a lesson of  staying centered through great confusion. or a lesson of

developing  a forgiving  heart  with someone who has caused us pain.  a lesson of acceptance
or courage ,finding the strength  of heart  to stand our ground  and live from our deepest values.. Difficult cycles are everyone's practice..

Meditation: sit and close your eyes. let yourself feel present  and at ease. .Let go of any plans and feel the natural rhythm of your Breathing.
when you become quite , reflect back over  your whole spiritual life.The cycles you have gone through , the situations that have taught you the most, the unexpected lessons. The times of solitude  and community ,your trials,your guides your recent practice. The problems you  encountered  as well, their difficulties , their teachings.

Enjoy this reflection, seeing it as a story ,and adventure , appreciating  its cycles with a sense of wonder and gratitude.Then feel yourself resting  in this moment  today with an openess

toward your life ahead  of you : the next natural stages of your life . the incomplete areas
of your life , the demensions of spiritual practice you may be called upon to include.
 As your own Spiritual guide , become aware of what situation might be beneficial to you . How can you best honor  both your choices and your  life situation  and include them in
 the opening  of your heart  and the cycles of your practice ? Sense how you can be true
to yourself and true to the dharma, the Tao that is unfolding in your life...